Elephant landmine victims get a new lease on life with prosthetic limbs

Elephant landmine victim

Losing a limb for animal could often be a death sentence, but a group of dedicated people in Thailand are giving the injured pachyderms a new lease on life.

The Thai-Myanmar border is still dotted with landmines left over from clashes between ethnic-minority rebels and the Myanmar army dating back decades, posing a danger to both people and animals.

Elephants Mosha and Motola lost part of their legs when they stepped on landmines. The two are lucky, though, because recently Mosha received a new prosthetic leg at the Friends of the Asian Elephant Foundation hospital, while Motola had her prosthetic adjusted.

In this photo, Motola wears her prosthetic leg at the Friends of the Asian Elephant Foundation in Lampang, Thailand, June 29, 2016.

Credit: Athit Perawongmetha/REUTERS

Elephant landmine victim

Mosha was just seven months old when she stepped on a landmine along the Thai-Myanmar border 10 years ago.

She was rushed to an elephant hospital run by the Friends of the Asian Elephant Foundation in Lampang province in northern Thailand.

Credit: Athit Perawongmetha/REUTERS

Elephant landmine victim

Two years later, surgeon Therdchai Jivacate (seen here-L), who designed prothetic limbs for elephants gave her a new leg and a new life. As she has grown, he has designed new, longer and stronger legs for her.

"The way she walked was unbalanced and her spine was going to bend," Therdchai, 72, said of Mosha before receiving her latest leg. "She would have died."

Credit: Athit Perawongmetha/REUTERS

Elephant landmine victim

Prosthetic legs for elephants that were injured by a landmine are seen on a table, June 29, 2016.

Founded in 1993, the Friends of the Asian Elephant Foundation hospital was the world's first elephant hospital and currently has 17 patients.

Credit: Athit Perawongmetha/REUTERS

Elephant landmine victim

Mosha has her prosthetic leg attached in Lampang, Thailand, June 29, 2016.

The elephant, who weighed only 600 kg when she was given her first artificial limb, now weighs over 2,000 kg.

Credit: Athit Perawongmetha/REUTERS

Elephant landmine victim

Motola is prepared for her prosthetic leg to be attached, June 29, 2016.

Credit: Athit Perawongmetha/REUTERS

Elephant landmine victim

The new prosthetic leg attached for Motola.

Credit: Athit Perawongmetha/REUTERS

Elephant landmine victim

Engineer Boonyu Thippaya (C) and a member of his team adjust a prosthetic leg for an elephant injured by a landmine at the foundation, June 29, 2016.

Credit: Athit Perawongmetha/REUTERS

Elephant landmine victim

Motola

Credit: Athit Perawongmetha/REUTERS

Elephant landmine victim

Thippaya (L) and a member of his team adjust a prosthetic leg for an elephant, June 29, 2016.

Credit: Athit Perawongmetha/REUTERS

Elephant landmine victim

Thippaya (L) and a member of his team work on a prosthetic leg, June 29, 2016.